Dictating machine transcribing apparatus with extension arm



May 27, 1952 F. J. FOX ET AL DICTATING MACHINE TRANSCRIBING APPARATUS WITH EXTENSION ARM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1949 FZO'I Z'ZQQ F QX Hardy-H. "55015617726 l gR w 5W May 27, 1952 J ox AL 2,598,045

DICTATING MACHINE TRANSCRIBING APPARATUS WITH EXTENSION ARM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1949 INVENTOR Florian J i'ox Hal-17.4. I of 1, J

ATTORN :si.

May 27, 1952 F. J. ox ETAL 2,598,045 DICTATING MACHINE TRANSCRIBING APPARATUS WITH EXTENSION ARM 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 5, 1949 l a u Patented May 27, 1952 DICTATING MACHINE TRANSCRI BING AP- PARATUS WITH EXTENSION ARM Florian J. Fox, Stratford, and Harry A. Williams, Bridgeport, Conn., assignors to Dictaphone Corporation, Bridgeport, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 5, 1949, Serial No. 119,674

6 Claims.

This invention relates to electric dictating machines and more particularly to a novel soft speaker assembly for use in connection with dictation transcribing apparatus.

Conventional electric dictating machines used in transcribing records of dictated matter normally include earphones suitably connected to the transcribing apparatusand adapted to be.

fortable and more convenient for the typist to use a speaker unit, particularly a soft speaker unit such as that disclosed herein.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a novel soft speaker assembly adapted to be used in connection with transcription from dictating machines. It is another object of the invention to provide a soft speaker assembly in which the speaker unit is adjustably positionable with respect to the transcribing apparatus. It is a further object of the invention to provide a speaker assembly of this type having a novel extensible electrical connection between the speaker unit and the transcriber. It

is another object of the invention to provide an adjustable connection between the speaker unit and transcriber that performs the dual function of adjustably supporting the speaker unit and establishing a suitable electrical connection between the speaker unit and transcriber. It is a further object of the invention to provide in this adjustable connection a novel arrangement to permit the selective connection of the soft speaker or a set of the usual earphones to the transcriber. It is a still further object of the invention to provide a speaker assembly that is simple and sturdy in construction, eflicient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture. Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereafter.

The speaker unit of the present speaker assembly falls within the broad class of electro-acoustical translating devices frequently referred to as loud speakers. However, the present speaker unit is adapted to be positioned close to the ear of the operator and accordingly, its sound volume is preferably maintained at a relatively low level.

Hence the device may be more aptly described as a soft speaker, and is so referred to herein.

The many objects and advantages of the present invention may best be understood and appreciated by reference to the acompanying drawings which illustrate a speaker assembly incorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention and wherein: I

Figure l is a perspective view of the soft speaker assembly of the present invention in its operative relation with respect to the transcriber and operator;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the pivotal mounting of the speaker assembly;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and showing structural details of the pivotal mounting;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the soft speaker assembly of Figure 1 showing the switch box, the face of the speaker unit, and the extensible arm between the switch box and speaker unit;

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 and showing details of the interior of the switch box and the pivotal mounting of the speaker unit;

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 and showing details of construction of the extensible arm;

Figure '7 is a top plan View with portions of the switch box and speaker unit broken away to show the interior construction thereof;

Figure 8 is an enlarged section through a portion of one of the telescoping rods of the extensible arm showing the manner in which the telescoping sections of the rods are joined; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the pivoted bracket member on which the speaker unit is mounted.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 1, the soft speaker assembly comprises a speaker unit I!) supported by means of r the extensible arm, generally indicated at l2, from the switch box l4, which is in turn effectively secured to the transcriber [6 through the ball-and-socket joint I8. In Figures 1, 2 and 3,

the housing 20 of the ball-and-socket joint I8 is shown as attached by the bolts 22 to the frame of the transcriber I6. It is evident that the housing 20 may be effectively secured to the transcrib-= er IS in any other suitable manner such as by the transcriber through an intermediate supporting member or members which are in turn affixed to the transcriber.

is provided with a plug 27 adapted to be plugged into a suitable receptacle (not shown) on the transcriber I6 to provide an electrical connection between the transcriber output and the switch box. Referring to Figures 1 and 4, the underside of the switch box it is provided with a plug receptacle 28 adapted to receive the plug (not shown but similar to plug 27) of a pair of earphones 3L ,The switch box it contains a single-pole, double-throw snap switch is (see Figure 7) having a manually operated arm 3E (shown in Figures 4 and 5) which is operative, as described in more detail hereafter, to selectively connect the earphones or the speaker unit, as desired, to the transcriber.

Still referring to Figures 1 and 4, the extensible arm I2 comprises two telescoping rods 32 and 34, each of which comprises a number of telescoping tubular sections. The method of joining the telescoping sections of rods 32 and 35. is shown in Figure 3. Referring to Figure8, the outer tubular section I is bent inwardly at its end to a joint close to the outer surface of the inner tubular section 132. Secured to the end of section I32 that is within section 13B are a pair of spaced rings 84 and I35 of such size as to provide a snug sliding fit with the inner surface of section I38. The ring I35 acts as a stop to limit extension of the sections and both rings act as guides to maintain the sections in proper axial alignment. In order to ensure adequate electrical contact between the sections I39 and I32, two or more leaf springs I38 are secured to the section I32 between the rings IM and I36 and are so shaped as to bear resiliently against the inner surface of section I39. Thus it is apparent that the extensible arin I2 performs the dual function of adjustably supporting the speaker unit I0 and at the same time providing an extensible electrical connection between the switch box It and the speaker unit Ill.

The telescoping rods 32 and 3d are supported in parallel spaced relationship by braces 33 and 40 which are made of a suitablenon-conductor such as a plastic. Referring to Figure 6, each brace comprises an upper section 42 and lower section 44, the adjacent faces of which are out out to form semi-circular recesses to receive the rods 32 and 3d. The sections 42 and A l are held together by means of a bolt i t and nut 28, and a clearance is provided between the adjacent surfaces of the two sections in the area between the arms 32 and 34. Due to the clearance 59, tightening of the nut 48 causes the two sections of each brace to exert a resilient pressure on the arms 32 and 34 and thus hold them securely in their desired spaced positions.

As best shown in Figure 5, the speaker unit it) comprises a generally hemispherical housing 52 that is externally threaded at its periphery to receive an internally threaded, perforated cap 54. Mounted within the housing 52 there is an electro-acoustical translating device 56 of conventional construction having a peripheral flange E2. The flange 58 is clamped between an internal shoulder 69 on cap 54 and a gasket 62 which bears against the peripheral portion of the housing 52. Thus the translating device is supported and centrally positioned within the houslug-52.

The speaker unit I0 is mounted for universal movement with respect to the extensible arm I2. At their upper ends, the extensible rods 32 and 34 are secured to a speaker unit support 61?. made of a non-conductive material, such as a plastic.

Referring to Figures 4, 5, and 7, the support 64 has a slot 65 which receives the disk-shaped portion 63 of a pivotal bracket Hi. The construction of the bracket I9 is best shown in Figure 8. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the disk portion 68 has a central hole E2 through which a screw 14 passes. The screw it is located in a bore ?5 extending through the support 64 and is threaded into an internally threaded sleeve it mounted within the support 53. Thus the screw i l acts as a shaft about which the bracket it may rotate. The

screw is provided with a shoulder 78 that bears against the disk portion 88 and hence adjustment of the screw adjusts the freedom of movement of the bracket it with respect to the support M. A set screw =38 is threaded into sleeve it from the opposite end to prevent undesired rotation of screw is.

The bracket 16 comprises, in addition to the disk portion 68, a shaft portion 82 that extends through the wall of the housing 52, and more particularly through a sleeve =85 mounted in the housing wall. Movement of the shaft portion 82 into the housing 52 is limited by a shoulder 35 of the bracket I5. At its inner end, the shaft portion =82 is threaded to receive a nut 83, and washers 9B are provided between the nut 88 and the inner Wall of housing 52. This construction is such as to permit the speaker unit H) as awhole to swivel freely about the shaft portion '82. To limit this rotation of the speaker unit ID with respect to the bracket it, the housing 52 (see Figure 5) is provided with a laterally extending pin 92 that cooperates with a stop '94 forming part of the bracket iii. The construction is such that the pin 92 comes in contact with stop 9 when the speaker unit It) is rotated in either direction and thus rotational movement of the speaker unit is limited to substantially one revolution.

Still referring to Figure 5, the shaft portion 82 of the bracket I0 is provided with an internal bore 96. The extensible rods 32 and 34 are connected, within the non-conductive support 64, to the conductors 98 which pass through the bore 96 of shaft 82 and are connected to the translatin device 56 within the housing 52, thus providing an electrical connection from each of the terminals of the translating unit 56 to one of the extensible rods 32 and 34. As further described hereafter, the rods 32 and 3c are electrically connected throughswitch box 14 and cable 26 with the output of the transcriber to complete the cir= cuit from the translating device 56. As previously indicated, the braces 38 and 43, support 64, housing 52, cap 5 8 and switch box I4 are made of a suitable non-conductive material, such as a plastic, to properly insulate this circuit.

As previously pointed out the switch box I4 contains a conventional snap switch 29 by means of which the transcriber output may be selectively connected to either the earphones or the soft speaker unit. Referring to Figure 7, one sidevof the transcriber output is connected through cable 26 to the contact I I2 of the earphone plug IB'. ceptacle 28 and thence through conductor I'M and terminal M6 to the telescoping rod 34. The

other side of the transcriber output is connected at I I8 to the movable contact (not shown) of the snap switch 29. One of the fixed contacts of the snap switch 29 is connected by a conductor I29 to the contact I22 of the earphone plug receptacle 28. The other fixed contact of switch 29 is connected by conductor I24 and terminal I26 to the telescoping rod 32. Thus, by manipulation of the arm 30 of snap switch 29, the transcriber I0 may be selectively connected to either the speaker unit I0 or the earphones 3 I.

Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, the lower end of switch box I 4 is connected by a short rod I00 to the ball I02 of the ball-and-socket joint I8. The socket 20 is of generally cylindrical construction and has a top portion I04 curved to conform with the curvature of the ball I02 and serving to retain the ball in the socket. At its lower end the socket 20 is internally threaded to receive a threaded plug or bushing I06. The ball I02 is urged against the curved portion I 04 of the socket by a spring I08 which, at its lower end, bears against the plug I06, and at its upper end bears against a guide piece IIO having an upper surface curved to conform with the curvature of the ball I02. The tension of the spring I08 may be varied by rotating plug I06 thereby regulating the degree of freedom of movement of the ball I02 in the socket 20. The plug I00 has a kerf I01 to facilitate such adjustment.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the present apparatus is capable of achieving the several objects stated above. The balland-socket joint I8, extensible arm I2 and the universal mounting of the speaker unit I0 cooperate to provide a high degree of flexibility of adjustment of the position of the speaker unit I0. Further, the extensible arms 32 and 34 perform the dual function of providing an extensible mounting for the speaker unit and also act as electrical conductors to connect the transcriber output to the speaker unit. Thus the need for a separate flexible electrical connection between the transcriber and speaker unit is eliminated. The snap switch 29 provides a convenient means whereby the operator may change from the earphones to the speaker or vice-versa, as circumstances may require.

Since many embodiments may be made of the present invention and since many changes might be made in the embodiment disclosed herein, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is to be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In dictating machine transcribing apparatus in combination, a transcriber unit, a support positioned in fixed relation to said transcriber unit, an adjustable arm swivelly mounted on said support, a speaker unit supported on said arm, said arm being adjustable to vary the position of the speaker unit with respect to the transcriber and being formed of an electrically conductive material, first conductor means electrically interconnecting one end of said arm and said transcriber unit and second conductor means electrically interconnecting the other end of said arm and said speaker unit, whereby electrical signals may be transmitted from the transcriber-through said adjustable arm to the speaker for translation into sound, earphone means connected ,to said arm, and manually operated switch means mechanically associated with said arm and electrically interposed between said earphone means. speaker unit and transcriber for selectively connecting said transcriber to either said earphone means or speaker unit as desired.

2. In dictating machine transcribing apparatus in combination, a transcriber unit, a support positioned infixed relation to said transcriber unit, an arm swivelly mounted on said support, a speaker unit supported on said arm, said arm comprising two elongated telescoping rods that are extensible to adjust the position of the speaker unit with respect to the transcriber, said telescoping rods being made of an electrically conductive material, a first pair of conductors electrically connecting said transcriber unit and one end of each of said telescoping rods and a second pair of conductors electrically connecting-said speaker unit with the'other end of eachof said telescoping rods, whereby electrical signals may be transmitted from the transcriber through said adjustable arm to the speaker unit for translation into sound.

3. In dictating machine transcribing apparatus in combination, a transcriber unit, a support positioned in fixed relation with respect to the transcriber andincluding a socket, an adjustable arm having at one end thereof a ball cooperating with said socket to provide a ball-and-socket mounting for said arm, a speaker unit mounted on the other end of said arm, said arm being adjustable to vary the position of the speaker unit with respect to the transcriber and being formed of an electrically conductive material, first electrical conductor means electrically interconnecting said transcriber unit and one end of said arm and second electrical conductor means electri cally interconnecting said speaker unit and the other end of said arm, whereby electrical signals may be transmitted from the transcriber through said adjustable arm to the speaker unit for translation into sound.

4. In dictating machine transcribing apparatus in combination, a transcriber unit, a support positioned in fixed relation with respect to said transcriber and including a socket, a switch box having a ball aflixed thereto that cooperates with said socket to provide a ball-and-socket mounting for said switch box, a speaker unit support, a speaker unit pivotally connected to said'support, a pair of elongated telescoping rods connected at their ends to the switch box and speaker unit support respectively and extensible to adjust themsition of the speaker unit with respect to the transcriber, said telescoping rods being made of an electrically conductive material, a first pair of conductors electrically connecting said transcriber unit with one end of each of said telescoping rods and a second pair of conductors electrically connecting-said speaker unit with the other end of each of-said telescoping rods, whereby electrical signals may be transmitted therethrough from the transcriber to the speaker unit for translation into sound, earphone means connected to said'switch box, and switch means located in saidswitch box and electrically interposed between said earphone means, said speaker unit and said transcriber for selectively connecting said transcriber to said earphone means or speaker unit as desired.

5. A speaker assembly adapted to be connected to a dictating machine transcriber to facilitate transcription of a sound record comprising in combination, a telescoping arm having a speaker unit mounted on one end thereof and having at its other end electrical connection means for attachment to said transcriber, said other end of said arm also having secured thereto a ball adapted to cooperate with a socket of said transcriber to provide a swivel joint for said speaker assembly, said arm comprising two elongated telescoping rods that are extensible to adjust the position of the speaker unit with respect to the transcriber, said telescoping rods being made of an electrically conductive material and having at said one end of said arm a pair of conductors dbis REFERENCES CITED H D'ac Nov. 26; 1921 Feb. 25; 1931 Numb'ei' Australia. 

